Ventura not paying attention to rumors

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The White Sox have been identified Saturday as one of three teams in pursuit of Boston Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis, according to multiple reports.

ESPNs Jim Bowden reports the Red Sox hope to trade the veteran by Saturday to the White Sox, Cleveland Indians or Los Angeles Dodgers. A three-time All-Star and career .286 hitter, Youkilis missed significant time earlier this season with lower back issues and has lost playing time to rookie Will Middlebrooks.

Youkilis is hitting .225 with four home runs in 142 at-bats.

White Sox manager Robin Ventura acknowledged he has heard some rumblings, but didnt get into specifics other than to say he would address a trade only if it were to happen.

You hear (rumors) and guys will sit there and talk about stuff, Ventura said. But its just like being a player: you cant react to them or respond to them unless they become true. Then you react to them. For me theres no sense of looking at it any other way until something happens with somebody. Then you react. I havent talked to my sources today. You talk about different things and, especially the last week, weve had guys go on the DL and with (Kosuke Fukudome) being designated. The other stuff, you wait and react to when it happens.

Youkilis could provide relief for a lineup which has struggled to produce against left-handed pitchers.

The White Sox are hitting .233 against left-handed pitching this season with 22 homers in 592 at-bats. The teams OPS versus lefties is .700 compared with a .735 against right-handers, against whom the White Sox are hitting .259 with 63 homers in 1,791 at-bats.

Youkilis has a career .299 average against lefties with a .928 OPS compared with .282 average and .853 OPS against right-handed pitchers.

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Charlie Tilson is finally back in the major leagues. And this time, he’s hoping he can stick around for more than one game.

Tilson, currently ranked as the White Sox No. 15 prospect, was brought up from Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday, joining the active roster after the team placed Leury Garcia on the 10-day disabled list with a left knee sprain.

Tilson, a Wilmette native and New Trier High School product, came over to the White Sox from the St. Louis Cardinals in a midseason trade in 2016 and got a hit in his first big league at-bat. But in the same game, he suffered a season-ending hamstring injury while trying to make a diving catch in the outfield. The following spring, he suffered another serious injury, a stress fracture in his foot, and was forced to sit out the entire season.

He missed out on an Opening Day roster spot this year when Adam Engel outperformed him during spring training. But the White Sox hope Tilson will be able to provide some production in an outfield that has struggled in that department this season. Engel, even after a four-hit night on Wednesday, is batting just .212. Trayce Thompson is hitting well under .200. And Avisail Garcia and Nicky Delmonico are dealing with their own significant injuries as Leury Garcia joins them on the DL.

Tilson batted .248 in 39 games at Charlotte this season prior to Thursday’s call-up. He had three hits in Wednesday night’s loss.

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Here's your daily update on what the White Sox highly touted prospects are doing in the minor leagues.

Triple-A Charlotte

Michael Kopech's outing was a mixed bag, with the White Sox top-ranked pitching prospect allowing only two earned runs but also walking four batters in his five innings of work. He did add eight strikeouts to his impressive season total and has punched out 61 hitters in 45.1 innings. Charlie Tilson had three hits in the 6-3 loss.

Class A Winston-Salem

The Dash split a doubleheader. Gavin Sheets had a huge game with three hits including a homer and a triple in the first contest, a 3-1 win. Luis Alexander Basabe had three hits with a home run in the other game, a 10-4 loss.

Double-A Birmingham

Eloy Jimenez and Zack Collins each had a hit and two walks in a 9-5 loss. The duo combined for three runs scored and an RBI.